I defeated our National Champion (Abbott) here. Last year I was 5th at the Nationals and he was first, and I hope this competition gives me some legitimacy, because a lot of people after I made mistakes always write me off and I have to climb my way up

I defeated our National Champion (Abbott) here. Last year I was 5th at the Nationals and he was first, and I hope this competition gives me some legitimacy, because a lot of people after I made mistakes always write me off and I have to climb my way up

Sounds like Johnny is making a case for himself for the Olympic team.

Bitter much? Trash talking (especially trying to show up a fellow countryman) is not going to put him on the Olympic Team, skating well is, so I'm glad to see Weir is taking his training a llittle more seriously this year than last year. USFS showed last year that it is not going to "gift" him to Vancouver.

Bitter much? Trash talking (especially trying to show up a fellow countryman) is not going to put him on the Olympic Team, skating well is, so I'm glad to see Weir is taking his training a llittle more seriously this year than last year. USFS showed last year that it is not going to "gift" him to Vancouver.

I agree - and also understand that "gifts" are earned and not given away to the undeserving.

I suspect Weir is aware that this is it for his career and he stands to lose alot of money if he doesn't make it to Vancouver.

I don't think his remarks about Jeremy were so bad and I am sure Johnny was pretty happy today about medaling.

Bitter much? Trash talking (especially trying to show up a fellow countryman) is not going to put him on the Olympic Team, skating well is, so I'm glad to see Weir is taking his training a llittle more seriously this year than last year. USFS showed last year that it is not going to "gift" him to Vancouver.

I wouldn't consider Johnny's comments as trash talking. On the snarky side, yes, but far from trash talking especially considering he's had his share of diva moments. I actually take it as a compliment to Jeremy whose had great success in last year's GP and Nationals. It's a testament to how strong a skater he has become for him to be used as a barometer that he's not out of the loop yet. And Johnny's comments are very true. He needs to have this "out to prove everyone one wrong" attitude because he is more of the classical skater than the one that goes out & takes advantage of the CoP.

I wouldn't consider Johnny's comments as trash talking. On the snarky side, yes, but far from trash talking especially considering he's had his share of diva moments. I actually take it as a compliment to Jeremy whose had great success in last year's GP and Nationals. It's a testament to how strong a skater he has become for him to be used as a barometer that he's not out of the loop yet. And Johnny's comments are very true. He needs to have this "out to prove everyone one wrong" attitude because he is more of the classical skater than the one that goes out & takes advantage of the CoP.

Skating well proves he deserves to be on the Olympic Team. Not taking advantage of the current rules in a competition is just not smart. "Snarky" as you term it, is not cool. I just think it's better to let your skating do your talking for you.
I hope he continues to improve his skating and makes the Olympic Team.

In comparing Evan with Jeremy and assuming both skate their best, one should note, Evan is basicaly a solid consistant skater and Jeremy is basically a musical skater. Both have quads but which one makes the quad a part of their solo dance?

Love Johnny....

but he only beat Jeremy by two points! Not exactly decisive as far as beating the national champion. I was disappointed he chose to make these remarks, I agree with others....just let your skating talk for you. And concentrate on increasing difficulty in your program, transitions, etc. to rack up those points.

That's the way Johnny will do well at Nationals and hopefully the Olympics.

Johnny will do well at US Nats, but he needs to up his Tech for Vancouver. Three of the following will push him off the podium: Oda, Takahashi, Kozuka Chan, Plushenko, Joubert, Lambiel, Verner, Brezina, and his team mates: Lysacek and Abbott. No? Johnny will need many meltdowns of others. JMO.

Skating well proves he deserves to be on the Olympic Team. Not taking advantage of the current rules in a competition is just not smart. "Snarky" as you term it, is not cool. I just think it's better to let your skating do your talking for you.
I hope he continues to improve his skating and makes the Olympic Team.

ITA. It ultimately comes to who can hit big when it counts the most on the ice. Not bravado talk or frustrated pleas. Note to Patrick Chan as well. And I think as you say you got to work w/the system. I do think the CoP still needs to be reviewed over because I thought Evan totally deserved to win the GPF but his PCS were ridiculous as well as Akiko's, but that's a whole other story.

I've been inclined to accept this scoring system until now but if the result is Evan as OGM I've had it. I salute his hard work, drive, and strength. I commend the coaching and programming strategies of Carroll and Nichol simply (and only) because they're working. But he is quite plainly the most unpleasant-looking elite skater I have ever seen. There is absolutely no beauty and no effort at beauty - just force and speed. His all-black costumes just accentuate his gangly form. Sorry to be so sour.

No one is ever going to change my mind about that but surely someone can explain what the heck is so superior about his skating skills and choreography?

I wouldn't go so far as "unpleasant", but ITA with the rest. Someone wrote that Evan is exactly the sort of skater IJS rewards - but he isn't really, and shouldn't be. Leaving aside the lack of quad, because apparently those don't matter these days, Evan has poorer jump technique than most of the other top guys, and is prone to URs and edge issues. That alone should mean a much smaller gap between his base mark (which was quite low yesterday) and his TES. His skating skills are decent enough but nothing special, and if Evan is particularly musical or capable of interesting interpretation, I have yet to see evidence of it in his music choices or his performances.

Evan Lysacek is a consistently good skater who's now marked as though he's the greatest ever. His GOEs are too high, his PCS are too high, and while normally I'd say, so long as the placements are right, who cares - now I sense either a PCS assist or a wuzrobbing being set up for Vancouver, depending on how he performs there, and that I don't like at all .

Originally Posted by demarinis5

"I defeated our National Champion (Abbott) here. Last year I was 5th at the Nationals and he was first, and I hope this competition gives me some legitimacy, because a lot of people after I made mistakes always write me off and I have to climb my way up."

Sounds like Johnny is making a case for himself for the Olympic team.

Originally Posted by KKonas

Trash talking (especially trying to show up a fellow countryman) is not going to put him on the Olympic Team, skating well is, so I'm glad to see Weir is taking his training a llittle more seriously this year than last year. USFS showed last year that it is not going to "gift" him to Vancouver.

I think it was a measure of respect for Jeremy and what he has accomplished the past two seasons that Johnny measured himself against him. Johnny is certainly not a favorite with his federation and he knows that he'll be required to fight for the ticket to Vancouver more than some skaters might have had they been in his position.